Propelling means for aeroplanes



PRO

` J. s. ADAMS. PELLING MEANS FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED A`UG.27. I9l8 Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

WIT/VESSES 1. S. ADAMS.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.27.191s.

1,356,329.' Patented o@t.19,192o.

/A/ VEN T05 James Sloan (ldams A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES JAMESsLoAN'jADAMs, oF NEW YORK, N. Y'.

\ PRQPEELING MEANS Eon AEROPLANES.

specincauon of Lettersratent. Patented 001;' 19 1920,v

Application' filed August 27, 1918. Serial No. 251,663

To all 'whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES SLOAN ADAMS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedPropelling Means for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a full,clear, and exactvde-y scription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved propellingmeans for aeroplanes and similar craft, arranged to utilize thestored-up energy of a spring to the fullest advantage for driving theaeroplane forward. Another object is to dispense entirely with thepropelling wheel now generally employed and to use instead a spring, anda resistance plane connected with the spring, the Vlatter beingcompressed during the power stroke of a motor and suddenly releasedduringthe exhaust stroke to utilize the stored up energy of thecompressed spring to give a forward propelling impulse to theaeroplane.' Another object is to utilize the motor for compressing thespring during the power stroke yand suddenly releasing Vit on openingthe exhaust valves.

ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as hereinafter shown .and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims. n

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar c aracters yof reference indicate corresponding partsin all theviews.

Fig. 4 is anenlarged 'sectional plan viewk of the motor and the spring.

The aeroplane shown in the drawings and on which the propelling means isshown, is in the form of a biplane Ahaving the usual framework 10, topand bottom sustaining planesv 11 and 12 and the carriage 13. In

the carriage 13 is mounted a motor 20, preferably in the form of atwo-cycle internal combustion engine having a cylinder 21, the

axis of which: extends *lengthwisel of they aeroplane, as plainlyindicated 'in the drawings. In the cylinder 21'reciprocates a pist0n 22provided with a forwardly extending piston rod 23 on which is secured acrosshead 24`engaging the rear end of a powerful coil spring 25 restingwith its forwardr motor is running then the spring' 25 is com-` pressedduring the power` stroke, that is during the time the piston 22 ismovedforward and with it the crosshead 24, and when the piston 22 is ontheV exhaust return stroke thenvthe compressed spring 25 is suddenly.released and its stored up .energy 'is utilized for imparting apowerful forward propelling, `impulse to the aeroplane. As shown inFigf'll, the forward end of the ycylinder 21 is provided with the usualinlet 30 for passing an explosive mixture into the forward end ofthecylinder 21 and this explosive mixture is compressed during the forwardYf stroke of the piston 22 and is forced through a pipe 31 and past thevalve 32into a reser`` voir 33 connected vby a pipe 34 and Vinlet valve35 with the rear or working chamber end of the engine. yThis rear endofthe f cylinder 21 is provided with the usual igniting device 36 andwith an exhaust valve 37 connectedvwith an exhaust pipe'38 for earry- 1ing-off the exhaust gases.y The admission valve 35 and the `exhaustvalve 37 are controlled 'by the usual mechanisms 39 and 40 actuated fromthe engine shaft41 connected by a kpitman 42 with the forward end'ofthepiston rod 23. Flyk wheels 44 are mounted on the shaft 41 toinsureuniform running n of the engine. s y

Intermediate the sustaining planes 11 and' 12 are arranged resistanceplanes 50 and51 n located onopposite sides ofthe vcarriage 13.

Each ofthe resistance planes 50k and'5`1 is connected with thecros'shead 24 to move the resistance "planes 50 andl 51 slowly upwardduringtheV forward movement of thepistorr` 22 and crosshead 24, and veryfastdownf,` ward during the return movement ofthe said piston 22 anderossheadl 24.y For the purpose mentioned the sides of each resistanceplane 50 and 51 are provided with bearings 52 mounted to slide up andAdown on vertical posts 53 forming part of the frame 1() of theaeroplane. The crosshead 241 is connected by cords, cables or similarflexible connections 60 and 61 with the sides of the resistance planes50 and 51 to alternately raise and lower the latter during the runningof the engine. The flexible connections 60 and 61 after leaving thecrosshead 24C pass around suitable guide pulleys 62, 63 and 64 to impartthe desired movement to the resistance planes 50 and 51 during therunning of the engine.

rIhe operation is as follows:

Then the engine is running and the piston 22 is on the forward or powerstroke then the crosshead 24 compresses the spring 25 and pulls theresistance planes 50 and 51 in an upward direction. When the piston 22has reached the end of its forward stroke and the exhaust valve 37 isopened then a quick return movement is had by the action of the storedup energy of the compressed spring 25 and a sudden downward movement isgiven to the resistance planes. Uwingto the fact that upon thecompression of the spring 25, the forward edge of each of the resistanceplanes is elevated, it will be apparent that said planes will assume anangular position with relation to the sustaining planes, and .when underthe inliuence of the stored energy of said spring they are againreturnedto the horizontal, the action gives a forward movement to the aeroplane.lt will be noticed that when the spring 25 is released on opening theexhaust valve 37 then the stored up energy in the spring acting on thefixed plate 2G gives a forward propelling .impulse to the aeroplane. Itwill further be noticed that the resistance of the air against theresistance 4planes 50 and 51 in their up and downmotion causes thestored up energy in the spring to be exerted in a forward directionagainst ,the

aeroplane to drive the latter forward. The resistance of the airyagainst the resistance planes 50 and 51 in their up and` down movementcounteractson the rebound in the spring 25 and causes the aeroplane tobe forced forward by the stored up energy in the spring.

The resistance planes 50 and 51 are practically parallel to thesustaining planes 11 and 12 to maintain the aeroplane in equilibrium.

Thev weight of the planes50 and 51 and that of the piston and piston rodrelative to the power developed by the burning mixturel counteracts onthe reboundl of the spring and therefore adds tothe drivingl power ofthe spring to propel the aeroplane forward. l

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent z 1. In an'aeroplaneand like craft, a resistance plane, a spring arranged lengthwise of themachine and connected with the said resistance plane, and means foralternately compressing and suddenly releasing the compressed spring toactuate the said resistance plane and to give a forward propellingimpulse to the aeroplane.

.2. ln an aeroplane and like craft, spaced sustaining planes, aresistance plane movable intermediate the said sustaining planes, aspring arranged lengthwise of the aeroplane and connected with the saidresistance plane, and a motor connected with the said spring toalternately compress and release the spring, the latter impartingmovement to the resistance plane in-one direction during the powerstroke and a sudden movement to the plane in the opposite direction onthe spring being released to utilize a portion of the stored up energyof the spring to give a forward propelling impulse to the aeroplane.

3. In an aeroplane and like craft, spaced sustaining planes, aresistance plane movable intermediate the said sustaining planes, aspring arranged lengthwise of the-aeroplane and connected with the saidresistance plane, and a motor connected with the said spring to compressthe latter onthe power stroke vof the motor and move the resistanceplane in one direction, and to suddenly release the compressed spring ontheexhaust stroke of the motor tomove the resistance piane suddenly inan opposite direction to give a forward propelling-impulse to theaeroplane. A

4. In an aeroplane and like craft, spaced sustaining planes, aresistance plane intermediate the said sustaining planes and mounted tomoveup and down, a motor mounted on the aeroplane and having its axislengthwise of the aeroplane, the motor having a reciprocating pistonprovided with a piston rod, a coil spring connected at one end with thesaid piston rod and having its other end fixed forward of the motor, theaxis ofthe spring extending lengthwise of the aeroplane, the springbeing compressed on the power stroke of the engine and released on theexhaust stroke of the engine, and a fiexible connection between thepiston rod and the said resistance plane to move the latter in onedirection during the power stroke of the engine and in the oppositedirection during the exhaust stroke to utilize the stored up energy ofthe spring for givaeroplane.

`ing a forward propelling impulse to the

